


Things That Go Bump In The Night

by elfsong



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Depression, F/M, Headcanon, Marriage, Potential Spoilers, Rating May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-09-24 04:10:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9700190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elfsong/pseuds/elfsong
Summary: The trial, error, and triumph between a worried wife and dysfunctional husband.(This was mostly written out of spite to those who hate Shane's post-marriage character.)





	1. The Mysterious Mariner

**Author's Note:**

> The first two chapters of this story will be backstory. Current events begin at chapter 3.  
> The farmer will not be named and will have little to no characteristic features so feel free to picture your own character.

The farmer only came to obtain a mermaid’s pendant two years ago, after hearing half-drunk saloon patrons mumbling about the mysterious old mariner one night.

Was he the ghost of a sailor who lost his love at sea, forever destined to wonder the seaside in search of his beloved? Was the pendant a gift she never lived to see, or was he the one lost at sea, holding on to it in hopes of one day giving it to her? Apparently, the tale has been passed down through the ages and only stuck here in the valley. The farmer could never recall hearing such a tale back in the city, her grandfather never even mentioning it. She recalled Lewis sending her a letter about the pendant a few weeks back, but she tossed it, writing it off as junk mail.

But tonight was different. The farmer was captivated by their theories on who the old mariner was. Apparently, one spouse of every married couple in the valley has met the mariner and acquired a pendant from him. But the farmer was skeptical, it all seemed like a big ol’ wise tail to her, and for all she knew, the villagers could have just been playing a prank on her. 

So, she waited. Late one night, storm a brewin’, she took the scenic route to the beach as to not be seen. She tiptoed by Elliot’s cabin, the squishy sand and loud rain drowning out any sound her footsteps could have made.

The farmer would be lying if she said she was not unnerved. Two years of living in the valley and learning its secrets and odd ways had hardened and prepared her for most surprises. But when she saw him standing there amongst the rubble of a ruined beach house, soaked to the bone and looking off into the sea, she froze. After a moment, she shook the paralyzing feeling one gets when spooked and trudged forward. 

When her boots hit the bridge the mariner turned to her like a bartender noticing a customer; as though he had been expecting her. He blended in with the dreary landscape in the rain, dark and aged. His eyes were solemn yet alive.

When she closed in, close enough that the pounding of the rain against sand would no longer drown out his words, he spoke. His voice sounded unused, as though it had been dragging over gravel. His accent sounded ancient.

“Ah…” his throat rumbled, “I can see it in yer eyes… There be a special someone in yet heart. Just so happens I’m sellin’ a mermaid’s pendant.” He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the shimmering shell, dangling it by the string in front of the farmer's eyes. “Give this to your intended and they’ll know exactly what you mean.”

The farmer watched the shell sway back and forth, hypnotized by it. Thoughts of Shane flooded through her head as she extended her arm to reach for the pendant. Just as it was in reach of her, the old mariner tugged the necklace and the pendant jerked just out of her grasp. He caught the pendant in a large hand and cradled it away safely, hiding it’s bright beauty away from the gloomy world.

“That’ll be 5,000g, miss.”

The price initially shocked the young farmer, her mouth falling agape. How could such a little shell possibly be worth so much?!

She quickly gathered herself, rationalizing it in her head. Different region, different values. In the city, it would be nothing for someone to go out and purchase a ring with a little diamond tucked away inside it for triple the price. But here in the valley, she had mined so many diamonds and other precious gems, one might not even hold any significant value to her at this point.

So, she pulled out her wallet, made the trade, and dangled the pendant in front of her eyes as she left the beach, thinking of how no ring could ever come close to matching this pendants beauty.

Once in town, she tucked the pendant away in her pocket to avoid prying eyes that might be stirring in the late of night. News travels fast in small towns, after all. She headed home quickly and quietly, tossed the pendant in a chest and promptly passed out in bed for the night. 


	2. Chapter 2

When morning came, the farmer cursed herself. How could she be so stupid to spend nearly all her savings on such a thing? She was nowhere ready for marriage, she was struggling as it was on her farm. Life here had been a huge adjustment. When she came out here, she only expected to have to learn to be self-sufficient, which sounded easy in theory.

When she was young she came to the valley in the summers and helped her grandfather with watering the plants and building his stockpile of wood for the winter. But she was in primary school at that point and his health had been rapidly declining.

Watering plants and helping her mother transfer potted plants to bigger pots did not prepare her for weeds, fallen trees, and an old cabin full of holes she was faced with. It took a long time to repair the old place and give it some serious renovations, not to mention learn her way around a farm all on her own. But she managed her first winter, if only barely.

Now, in her second summer, she had a farm full of animals, which she often struggled to feed and was eternally grateful each time Marnie mailed her some feed right as she was running low, and was being pressured by the mayor to be a more active member of the community. And now she was nearly broke thanks to an impulse buy. Great.

The farmer rubbed her temples, taking a seat at her kitchen table after pouring herself her morning coffee. She stared at the steam that billowed from the cup. She’d have to double her work on the farm to make up for the loss of money.

The first sip warmed her to the core. The bitter drink soothed her stress. She began thinking of Shane. She had given him a bouquet without really realizing what that entailed. That’s not to say it didn’t work out in her favor though, quite the opposite in fact. She had been smitten with him for a while, her crush starting after the incident at the cliff edge. She visited him at the hospital as he recovered and would “accidentally” bump into him at the bus stop when he came home from counseling. She’d invite him over with the promise of either homemade pizza or fresh pepper poppers. She showed him the shortcut to the ranch from her farm and he admitted to never being interested enough to figure out what the old farm looked like before she cleared out all the debris from the trail.

After that, she often caught him heading home through her farm, always stopping to pet the chickens and occasionally toss them crumbs from his lunch in the city. It gave the farmer a warm, giddy feeling every time she caught a glimpse of him on her farm.

Their relationship grew after that, he sent her gifts, apologized for being unkind to her before, he began including her in his daily life. It felt like a gate had been opened to her that not many others were able to get though.

The farmer felt warmth grow on her cheeks as a deep blush spread as she recalled the next events.

When she purchased the bouquet from Pierre, he gave her a knowing look.

Small town… people are bound to notice when the town grump had an unusual glee about him. Friday nights his entire demeanor would change as soon as the farmer entered the saloon. She herself noticed how he slouched over his brew when she spoke to the other villagers before him and how he beamed when she chatted with him.

Sure, he had his off days, but everyone could tell. They were infatuated with one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dialogue finally begins next chapter. :')


End file.
